State Rep. John Gaskey accused of workplace sexual harassment

A former legislative aide has accused state Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) of making unwanted sexual advances and retaliating against her for rejecting them.

Gaskey, who represents the 2nd Plymouth District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, which includes Wareham, faces a civil lawsuit alleging multiple counts of sexual harassment. He has denied the allegations. 

A court filing in Suffolk Superior Court on Aug. 3 details a sequence of allegedly inappropriate behavior from Gaskey toward his former State House aide Kayla Churchill. Churchill accused Gaskey of firing her because she would not have sex with him or entertain his advances. Court documents also allege that Churchill’s termination came shortly after Gaskey learned she was dating another man.

Churchill knocked on doors for Gaskey during his 2024 state representative campaign and he offered her the legislative aide job after his win later that year, according to court documents. In early 2025, Churchill alleges that Gaskey invited her to go on a “business trip” to Indiana and work on bills together, which she declined because she felt it was inappropriate and “a little creepy.” 

In summer 2025, Churchill alleges that Gaskey invited her to swim in his pool on several occasions, saying “come by for a swim, and bring the kids, or don’t” and winking. The filing also claims staffers told Churchill that Gaskey stared at her chest and backside when he was around her, frequently commenting about “how nice” Churchill looked and smelled. 

The lawsuit further claims that Gaskey disclosed personal details about his sex life to Churchill, which he allegedly followed up with an invitation to stay the night with him in a hotel room near the State House. 

The lawsuit includes multiple other alleged advances in 2025. According to the filing, Churchill began purposefully avoiding Gaskey so she wouldn’t be left alone with him. Churchill then alleges that Gaskey fired her in December 2025, shortly after he discovered she was dating a man who Gaskey supposedly did not like. 

The lawsuit raises five counts of sexual harassment, two related to the workplace, one for a quid pro quo, one with retaliation and another count regarding an accusation that the state legislature mishandled Churchill’s complaint. 

“The allegations detailed in this court filing are entirely baseless, politically motivated, and false,” Gaskey wrote in a statement to Wareham Week. “I unequivocally deny every claim of wrongdoing.”

According to Gaskey, the allegations were independently investigated from January to May this year. He wrote that he received a formal letter “completely clearing” him of wrongdoing. 

“This lawsuit is nothing more than a salacious attempt to re-litigate settled facts and slander my reputation,” Gaskey wrote in a press release. “Throughout my military service and my tenure serving the Plymouth 2nd District, I have held myself to the highest standards of integrity and public trust.” 

Gaskey added that he looks forward to “presenting the facts in court” where he is confident he will be “fully vindicated.” The case is currently pending and designated to the court’s “fast track.” A hearing date has not yet been scheduled.

Gaskey’s district includes Wareham, Carver and the southern part of Middleboro. 

The case comes as a contested race for state representative approaches. Gaskey, the incumbent, is facing a challenge in the Sept. 1 Republican primary election from Carver Select Board Chair Mark Townsend. The winner of that race will then face off against Democrat Carver Select Board member Sarah Hewins, in November.